Swapping Frames. No clue what I’m doing.

[New_2_4runners]

Hey all,
Just starting a thread to chronicle my frame swap. I’m not a car guy but this seemed fun so I bought 2 4runners for $500 each. One running but badly rusted frame and one parted out.

Here is the starting arrangement

The first order of business was to get the donor truck apart

Which was pretty easy

Then getting the frame picked clean

It’s for sale in Norfolk if you want it!

Clean frame

 

[Johns06yota]

Hey all,
Just starting a thread to chronicle my frame swap. I’m not a car guy but this seemed fun so I bought 2 4runners for $500 each. One running but badly rusted frame and one parted out.

Here is the starting arrangement

I really look forward to this!

 

[P40Wolf]

Hey all,
Just starting a thread to chronicle my frame swap. I’m not a car guy but this seemed fun so I bought 2 4runners for $500 each. One running but badly rusted frame and one parted out.

Here is the starting arrangement

Take the body off the hulk, clean up the frame, push to the side. Unplug/disconnect/ unbolt everything from body of complete 4Runner from frame and drivetrain. Tag and mark all connections so you don’t mix stuff or forget. Take frame with engine, trans and tcase, park next to good frame. Move all good drivetrain to good frame (I’d keep the rear axle in good frame there, housing is probably still good).

Take new frame with good drivetrain, push back under new body and put together. Hook up all connections again.

Start and season with pepper for effect.

 

[New_2_4runners]

Then I went on assignment at work for about 5 months while the frame sat out in the field.

Finally 2 weekends ago we got around to working on wire wheeling the frame

The time in the field had it pretty rough

The previous owner had cut out the tire winch

There comes a time in every frame’s life for a certain procedure

Degreased with POR15 degreaser

Then metal prepped and painted with POR15

Drying

All finished up

Inside until the next stage

 

[New_2_4runners]

Feel free to offer any tips, tricks, advice, or ‘wish I hads’! Hopefully in a few weeks it’ll be frame swap time.

 

[Slowgoat]

Impressive

 

[Johns06yota]

Feel free to offer any tips, tricks, advice, or ‘wish I hads’! Hopefully in a few weeks it’ll be frame swap time.

Hey not sure if you did this or not but Eastwood makes an internal frame coating that blocks and goes over any rust. I’ve heard it works pretty well and may save your new frame from what happened to the other one

 

[CookieRoe]

sub'd

Very cool, good luck with the swap!

 

[adkfinn]

Did you top coat the POR-15? If you haven't, you should. It is meant to be painted over and is not UV stable and will fail over time when exposed to light/air/water/etc.

 

[duffdog]

I would paint that with appliance epoxy or the hardest possible paint I could find.

 

[Terminator03]

Did you top coat the POR-15? If you haven't, you should. It is meant to be painted over and is not UV stable and will fail over time when exposed to light/air/water/etc.

This is quite true. It looks awesome as is, but it would be best to topcoat it wit some nice black acrylic enamel with hardner.

 

[Jdevtac]

I would paint that with appliance epoxy or the hardest possible paint I could find.

Yeah for all the work that went into it I would’ve picked an epoxy paint rather than por15. POR15 is for last ditch rust coat. It doesn’t like to stick long term to previous paint, clean metal, or the like. And people get mixed results even with metal prep on clean metal. I’d be scared it would start peeling in sheets down the road.

 

[cooper30]

Thank you for sharing

 

[New_2_4runners]

Hey not sure if you did this or not but Eastwood makes an internal frame coating that blocks and goes over any rust. I’ve heard it works pretty well and may save your new frame from what happened to the other one

Thanks, I do have 3 cans of it and plan to coat the inside of the frame

 

[New_2_4runners]

Did you top coat the POR-15? If you haven't, you should. It is meant to be painted over and is not UV stable and will fail over time when exposed to light/air/water/etc.

I’ve been getting mixed answers on that in my research so I haven’t decided yet if I’m going to top coat it.

 

[Jdevtac]

I’ve been getting mixed answers on that in my research so I haven’t decided yet if I’m going to top coat it.

I’ve read things on both ends of the spectrum. Some say topcoat is optional if the parts are out of direct sun exposure, and that even if you get fading of the por it doesn’t actually affect durability. Then I’ve read people saying if you don’t topcoat then it’s done for lol.

I mean UV destroys pretty much anything over time so it’s not wrong to say that sunlight will break it down in exposed areas, but apparently it was POR15 makers themselves that said fading/color change is just cosmetic. I’d probably ask them direct to confirm.

 

[adkfinn]

I’ve been getting mixed answers on that in my research so I haven’t decided yet if I’m going to top coat it.

I would suggest the manufacturer's data is a good source for info:

From the data sheet:

"For externally exposed areas, topcoat with any POR-15
UV resistant topcoat to block from ultraviolet light."

Link: http://qr.por15.com/QR-assets/downloads/POR15/POR15-Description.pdf

From the tech info:

"POR-15 is sensitive to UV light (sun) and must be topcoated before prolonged exposure to sunlight."

https://www.por15.com/POR-15-Technical-Information_ep_62.html

From the FAQ:

"WILL THE SUN DESTROY MY POR-15 COATING IF I DON'T TOPCOAT IT?
If the surface is exposed to the sun for an extended amount of time, the UV rays will eventually break down the POR-15 and cause it to fail. That?s why we recommend you topcoat it."

https://www.por15.com/POR-15-FAQS_ep_61.html


I've ready plenty of horror stories about POR-15 flaking off poorly prepped and previously painted surfaces and about it failing long term when left exposed (mostly on Pirate4x4 if I recall correctly).

 

[New_2_4runners]

I called POR-15 directly the other day and they said "You'll be fine if it's for a frame since that will be out of the sun". Soooo...

NO TOP COAT!

We'll see what happens. Check back in 10 years ya'll!


For now, on to the next steps of coating the inside of the frame and beginning assembly.

 

[New_2_4runners]

A current accounting of the expenses incurred to date. I'll keep this updated as I go.

 

[blackoutt]

I looked into all this POR 15 and chassis saver stuff when I did my frame when I bought my well kept northern 4runner and further cleaned it up/applied prevention. I would say just throw a top coat of rust oleum on it. I end up scratching/wearing/powerwashing off the top coat regularly but I'm also always wrenching on my 4runner so anytime I have stuff apart I throw another coat quick low prep coat on. Cheap and mostly effective.

I'm all into projects like this where the parts cost compared to savings looks good. Don't calculate the labor hours unless your labor is free.99! Good work!